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Elsevier, NeuroToxicology, (45), p. 67-80

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.09.006

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Associations among Exposure to Methylmercury, Reduced Reelin Expression, and gender in the Cerebellum of Developing Mice.

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This paper is available in a repository.

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Abstract

Genetic risk factors acting during pregnancy or early after birth have been proposed to account for the exponential increase of autism diagnoses in the past 20 years. In particular, a potential link with exposure to environmental mercury has been suggested. Male sex constitutes a second risk factor for autism. A third potential genetic risk factor is decreased Reelin expression. Male heterozygous reeler (rl+/−) mice show an autism-like phenotype, including Purkinje cells (PCs) loss and behavioral rigidity. We evaluated the complex interactions between 3 risk factors, i.e. genetic status, sex, and exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), in rl+/− mice. Mice were exposed to MeHg during the prenatal and early postnatal period, either at a subtoxic dose (2 ppm in Dams’ drinking water), or at a toxic dose (6 ppm Dams’ drinking water), based on observations in other rodent species and mice strains.